Ethics Committee Clears Assistant Minority Leader Balmer

An ethics committee has cleared House assistant GOP leader David Balmer of charges he tried to inappropriately influence a GOP leadership election, according to a report in the Rocky Mountain News.

Committee chair Claire Levy was reported as explaining in an announcement that there is no credible evidence to support an allegation that the Centennial Republican had acted improperly in attempting to secure votes in an anticipated election to replace minority leader Mike May, R-Parker, in December 2008.

Balmer, who in 2004 faced allegations that he padded his resume during a political campaign in North Carolina, had been accused by May of using the promises of campaign contributions and a future committee chairmanship to secure the vote of Rep. Cindy Acree, R-Aurora, in the planned caucus election.

House rules forbid such tactics to obtain votes in a leadership election.

May had announced his resignation from the legislature in mid-December.

He later rescinded the resignation when the controversy over Balmer's alleged conduct arose.

May told the Rocky that he filed the complaint against his Republican colleague Balmer because he did not want the public to get the impression that the GOP caucus was "trying to cover something up."

"That is worse," May is quoted by the Rocky as saying.

The ethics committee is still considering charges that lobbyist Erik Groves violated rules against participating in legislative decisions relating to leadership.

Ethics Committee To Take Up Balmer Matter Friday

The ethics committee assigned to investigate complaints against Rep. David Balmer, R-Centennial, and a lobbyist will meet tomorrow morning.

The committee is considering allegations that Balmer and the lobbyist, Erik Groves, attempted to exert inappropriate influence on a member of the House GOP caucus.

The member, freshman Rep. Cindy Acree, R-Aurora, alleged that she was promised a campaign contribution and a future committee chair slot if she voted for Balmer in the GOP caucus election to choose a new minority leader.

House Republicans had planned to select a replacement for Rep. Mike May, R-Parker, after May announced his retirement in mid-December. May has since said he will remain in the General Assembly at least until the ethics inquiry is completed.

Balmer's answer to the ethics committee inquiry says that he was not aware of Groves' activities or that of some chiropractors associated with the advocacy organization for whom Groves works.

The members of the committee are Reps. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, Kathleen Curry, D-Gunnison, Joel Judd, D-Denver, Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs, and Ken Summers, R-Lakewood.

A website maintained by an organization called Colorado for Ethics has posted to the Internet the documents related to the ethics inquiry. You can find them here.